Man flees court, leads police on chase in Johns Creek

Posted
Sunday, April 13, 2014 12:00 am

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JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – An alleged drunk driver led police on a chase through the city after he fled a court hearing April 8.

James Earl Johnson, 42, of Decatur was in Johns Creek court at 10 a.m. facing charges of driving without a license and DUI. When the judge handed down a 63-day sentence, Johnson allegedly ran out of the courtroom. He drove away in a black Chevrolet Avalanche.

A short time later, police spotted Johnson on McGinnis Ferry Road.

When police tried to pull Johnson over, he initially slowed down as if he were to stop, and then he quickly performed a U-turn headed west on McGinnis Ferry Road.

Police tried several times to drive in front of Johnson to force him to stop. Each time, he simply drove around them.

Police finally cornered Johnson in a parking lot on New Boyd Road.

Johnson was Tased as he was pulled from the vehicle.

Johnson’s breath allegedly smelled of alcohol when he was arrested. He refused sobriety tests. He complained about neck pain and was taken to Emory Johns Creek Hospital for evaluation. There, he refused to give blood to test for alcohol.

A check of Johnson’s driver’s license showed it was suspended in February for failure to pay child support and failure to appear in court on April 3, as well as for a DUI in January of last year and was revoked because of probation in June, also last year.

Johnson faces charges of DUI, fleeing police, aggravated assault on a police officer, obstruction and driving with a suspended license. He is held in Fulton County Jail.